JAZZ REVIEW : Stewart, Barnes Make a Smooth Duo at the Biltmore

Yevette Stewart and Cheryl Barnes, locally based singers who have been working as a team in recent months, presented their show Wednesday at the Biltmore’s Grand Avenue Bar.

Although there are frequent R&B; intimations both in the vocals and the backup group, Stewart and Barnes have found a variety of directions for their solo numbers and the occasional duets. Their sources of inspiration range from Earth, Wind & Fire to James Taylor, from Al Jarreau to Take 6.

One set began with what might be called everywoman’s opening song, “On a Clear Day,” complete with scat interludes in which Barnes leaned to Fitzgeraldish-like scat, in contrast to Stewart’s more Sarah Vaughan-like overtones.

Stewart recalled Vaughan again with her high note ending on “A Time for Love,” but in the range race Barnes is clearly victorious, leaping upward in unpredictable octave jumps to a pure and passionate high register.

The duets tended to be a little casual, hitting a good-humor groove on “Compared to What?”

The back-up quartet was generally efficient but a hair on the loud side in the uptempo songs. Larry Nash on piano and Philip Cabasso on keyboard had some good solo moments; Dwayne Smith on electric bass and John Merola on drums rounded out the group.

Stewart and Barnes have enough in common, yet enough sets them apart to complement one another. All they need is more two-part harmony to tighten up the act.